TM Forum Expands Cable MSO Outreach

TM Forum is expanding the outreach of its Cable Multiple System Operator (MSO) initiative by making the Internet Protocol Detail Record (IPDR) interface specification publicly available.

IP network and service providers use IPDR to provide cost-effective usage measurement data exchange for next-generation services across an extended value-chain of partners. IPDR can gather a more robust data set than can be captured with other widely adopted standards, according to TM Forum. The organization is developing and driving the adoption of the IPDR specification through the contributions of MSO members and ongoing work with CableLabs.

Because of IPDR's importance to the cable industry, TM Forum is now making IPDR an open standard available to TM Forum non-members as well as members. The intent is to maximize and accelerate IPDR use by hardware and software suppliers and systems integrators. The IPDR specifications have already been widely adopted by the cable industry. For example, CableLabs adopted IPDR/SP as a mandatory part of DOCSIS and OpenCable.

The full IPDR Solution Suite now incorporates a comprehensive set of tools, including IPDR Streaming Protocol Specification, Business Solution Requirements, IPDR Specification Design Guide, File Transfer mode protocol Specifications, key Service Specifications, the, IPDR/XDR Encoding Format, and IPDR Usage Data Accounting Requirements.